A major manufacturer of snowmobiles needed to find new products in order to keep the workforce employed all year round. Starting with what you know or can find out about snowmobiles, make reasonable assumptions about the capabilities of the company. Then develop a needs analysis that leads to some suggestions for new products that the company could make and sell. Give the strengths and weaknesses of your suggestions.

SAMPLE SOLUTION

JavaScript Not Detected

JavaScript is required to view textbook solutions.

Step 1 of 1

A company making snowmobiles should have the capability to
design and build equipment that stands up in an aggressive service
environment. Working in the snowmobile business should have
resulted in expertise in small gasoline engines. The company
probably sells to a network of distributors, so there is no
experience in selling directly to the customer.

Snowmobiles are part of the growing business market segment of
recreational vehicles. An obvious business opportunity that would
extend the sales year around is to develop water sport equipment
like jet skies. The market is crowded with suppliers, but an
innovative design with an attractive entry price, or novel
technology or features, could find acceptance. Another market
possibility is off-road vehicles like a small dune buggy or
three-wheel motorcycles. The same conditions for a new product
would apply as for jet skies.

A related, but separate possibility for a new product would be
specialized vehicles for business and industry. Some examples are:
a safe vehicle for bicycle messengers in crowded city streets, a
small logging vehicle, small construction machinery, a
parts-picking vehicle for large warehouses.